BAMAKO, Mali – An army spokesman says an explosive went off, apparently by accident, in a house on the outskirts of Mali's capital, killing two people.

Commander Modibo Nama Traore said the explosive detonated Friday while a man was handling it. He and a woman were killed. Malian and U.N. troops have surrounded the house, which is close to a mosque. Burn marks could be seen on its walls from afar.

This is the second violent incident in Bamako in recent weeks. In March, masked gunmen killed five people at a restaurant popular with foreigners.

Most violence is concentrated in Mali's north, which was overrun by Islamic militants following a 2012 coup. French forces led a military operation in 2013 that largely expelled the al-Qaida-linked extremists, but clashes and attacks continue there.